HUMAN PANCREATIC SECRETORY TRYPSIN-INHIBITOR - DISTRIBUTION, ACTIONS AND POSSIBLE ROLE IN MUCOSAL INTEGRITY AND REPAIR

Pancreatic secretory trypsin inhibitor is a potent protease inhibitor which was originally identified in the pancreas. It has subsequently b een shown to be present in mucus-secreting cells throughout the gastro intestinal tract and also in the kidney, lung and breast. Its major ro les are likely to be to prevent premature activation of pancreatic pro teases and to decrease the rate of mucus digestion by luminal protease s within the stomach and colon. In addition, PSTI increases the prolif eration of a variety of cell lines and stimulates cell migration, poss ibly acting via the EGF receptor. These findings suggest that PSTI may also be involved in both the early and late phases of the healing res ponse following injury. Further studies including the production of tr ansgenic overexpression and knockout models should help elucidate the physiological function of this peptide.